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Christie sends Mabey and Johnson report to DPP
Published: Friday | October 9, 2009
DAYS AFTER the British firm Mabey and Johnson accepted a guilty plea in which the company claimed it paid embattled government Member of Parliament (MP) Joseph Hibbert more than £100,000 inappropriately, the Office of the Contractor General (OCG) has hinted that its probe has uncovered incidents of corruption or illegality.
The OCG yesterday announced that it has concluded its special investigation into the allegations of corruption and irregularity related to government contracts that were awarded to Mabey and Johnson.
As usual, copies of the OCG's report were sent to the relevant ministry officials and the Houses of Parliament.
Breach of duty
However, the OCG also sent copies to the police commissioner and the DPP "for such action as any or both of them may deem to be appropriate having regard to the evidence ... found in the matter".
Under Section 21 of the Contractor General Act, if the office finds that there is evidence of a breach of duty, misconduct or criminal offence on the part of an officer or member of a public body, it shall refer the matter to the competent authority to take action.
In this case, the DPP and the police commissioner would be the authorities to move the case to the criminal court.
Hibbert has been in hot water since late last year when members of the British Serious Fraud Office and the local police raided his St Andrew home.
It was subsequently revealed that the raid was in connection with a bribery allegation involving Mabey and Johnson.
Payments with corrupt intent
Last month, the firm entered a guilty plea and agreed to pay £6.6 million in fines and compensation for bribing government officials in Jamaica, Ghana and Iraq.
According to documents filed in court, "... bribes were paid to persuade Mr Hibbert to use his influence in Jamaican government circles to secure the Jamaica contract for M&J (Mabey and Johnson).
"M&J accept that these payments were made with a corrupt intent to so persuade Mr Hibbert to act in a manner inconsistent with his duties as a public servant of the Jamaican Government."
Hibbert, who resigned as a junior minister in the Ministry of Transport and Works after the allegations surfaced, has repeatedly declared his innocence.
He remains MP for East Rural St Andrew.
Published: Friday | October 9, 2009
DAYS AFTER the British firm Mabey and Johnson accepted a guilty plea in which the company claimed it paid embattled government Member of Parliament (MP) Joseph Hibbert more than £100,000 inappropriately, the Office of the Contractor General (OCG) has hinted that its probe has uncovered incidents of corruption or illegality.
The OCG yesterday announced that it has concluded its special investigation into the allegations of corruption and irregularity related to government contracts that were awarded to Mabey and Johnson.
As usual, copies of the OCG's report were sent to the relevant ministry officials and the Houses of Parliament.
Breach of duty
However, the OCG also sent copies to the police commissioner and the DPP "for such action as any or both of them may deem to be appropriate having regard to the evidence ... found in the matter".
Under Section 21 of the Contractor General Act, if the office finds that there is evidence of a breach of duty, misconduct or criminal offence on the part of an officer or member of a public body, it shall refer the matter to the competent authority to take action.
In this case, the DPP and the police commissioner would be the authorities to move the case to the criminal court.
Hibbert has been in hot water since late last year when members of the British Serious Fraud Office and the local police raided his St Andrew home.
It was subsequently revealed that the raid was in connection with a bribery allegation involving Mabey and Johnson.
Payments with corrupt intent
Last month, the firm entered a guilty plea and agreed to pay £6.6 million in fines and compensation for bribing government officials in Jamaica, Ghana and Iraq.
According to documents filed in court, "... bribes were paid to persuade Mr Hibbert to use his influence in Jamaican government circles to secure the Jamaica contract for M&J (Mabey and Johnson).
"M&J accept that these payments were made with a corrupt intent to so persuade Mr Hibbert to act in a manner inconsistent with his duties as a public servant of the Jamaican Government."
Hibbert, who resigned as a junior minister in the Ministry of Transport and Works after the allegations surfaced, has repeatedly declared his innocence.
He remains MP for East Rural St Andrew.
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